The invention relates to a connector for at least one flat foil conductor.
A connector for at least one flat foil conductor is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,402. The electrical connector has a housing with a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a row, the contacts being suitable for conductive connection to the flat foil conductors of a foil and for contacting a mating contact. The housing has a flap hingeably articulated to the housing by a film hinge. The flap is latchably connectable to the housing in an end latching position. The flap serves to protect the connections of the electrical contacts to the flat foil conductors. Additional securing of the contacts in the contact chambers is not provided by the hinged flap. It is also not proposed to provide further strain relief on the connector.
From EP 866 520 it is known per se to position flat foil conductors by pins on the housing and corresponding openings in the flat foil conductors thereby also providing a strain relief.
It is the object of the invention to provide an electrical connector for a flat foil conductor which has an additional strain relief for the flat foil.
The object is achieved by a connector for at least one flat foil conductor of a flat foil comprising: at least one electrical contact for connecting to and making contact with the flat foil conductor and for making contact with a mating contact, a housing with at least one receiving chamber for receiving the contact and having a cable-side end, a back wall and a part movable relative to the back wall that can be fixed in an end position parallel to the back wall, wherein the flat foil is positioned between the back wall and the part, characterized in that the back wall or the movable part has at least one opening and the other has at least one pin that in the end position, engages through the flat foil in the opening and thereby provides strain relief for the flat foil. The connector according to the invention is suitable for contacting at least one flat foil conductor of a flat foil. In this case the flat foil conductor is connected to an electrical contact. A corresponding contact is known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,402.
It is of particular advantage that a plurality of flat foil conductors of a flat foil can be contacted by a connector according to this invention. For this purpose, each flat foil conductor is connected to an electrical contact. Such contact can be produced, for example, by a crimp connection. The electrical contacts furthermore have a region for making contact with a mating contact. This region can be designed as a pin contact or a socket contact.
The electrical contacts and at least the free end of the flat foil with the flat foil conductors are inserted in a housing. The electrical contacts in this case come to rest in corresponding receiving chambers. It is of particular advantage that a movable part is provided which can be fixed in an end position parallel to a back wall of the housing, wherein the flat foil and the contacts can be introduced into the housing only when the part is not in the end position.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that the back wall has at least one opening and the movable part at least one pin which engages in the opening in the end position. The reverse arrangement is also possible. Since the flat foil is located between back wall and movable part, the pin also grips through a corresponding opening provided in the flat foil and thereby additionally fixes the flat foil. A strain relief for the flat foil is achieved by this fixing.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that the distance between back wall and movable part is dimensioned in the end position in such a way that the flat foil is pressed between back wall and part. As a result an additional strain relief for the flat foil is achieved in the end position.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that the movable part has a pre-latching position into which the flat foil and the contact can be inserted and an end latching position in which the flat foil is fixed.
It is furthermore of particular advantage if the part is hingeably articulated on the housing. As a result it is ensured that no additional independent part is necessary and therefore loss of the movable part is not possible.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that the openings and pins on the movable part and on the back wall are designed in such a way that they also serve as latching means. As a consequence the surface pressure on the flat foil is increased and therefore the strain relief is improved.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that a guide is provided for the flat foil. The guide for the flat foil is achieved in that the housing has side walls and that these have grooves extending towards the cable-side end in the connection direction for receiving the edges of the flat foil.
It is furthermore of particular advantage that the contacts are additionally secured. This is achieved in that a hinged flap is provided on the housing which in its end position narrows the receiving chambers for the contacts in such a way that removal of the contacts from the chambers is no longer possible.